Musings on Music and the Kingdom

I've always loved music. The awkward photo above is a testament to my official title of "band geek" in high school. Back then it felt like my whole life was music (and to be fair, with 9am-9pm practices, it kind of was). Even outside of band I would spend most of my free time listening to music and making cheesy mixed CDs for my friends and boyfriends (how else was I supposed to communicate all the major feelings I had?!)

I loved surrounding myself in both the lyrics and the music. I looked forward to getting new music and learning it as quickly as possible so I could play it well and hear what it sounded like. I even thought maybe one day I could be a musician. Those hopes were quickly dashed when I absolutely detested music theory (no music writing for me!)

But as I've gotten older and life has gotten busier I've found myself listening to less and less music. Actually, allow me to correct that; I listen to very little music outside of "The Wheels on the Bus" and anything from musical genius, Daniel Tiger.

So it was a strange feeling when I was driving in the car alone the other day (also uncommon) and decided to turn on a worship playlist I created while I was originally raising support to move to Hungary and have continued to add to ever since. And I had I kind of "ah ha" moment.

I love music because of the way each little piece of a song; each instrument, voice, tempo and volume change choice, fits together to make it beautiful. Give me a tasty harmony and I am absolutely helpless.

Even back in high school, I wanted to learn my music quickly because I was so excited to hear how my little piece fit with the rest of the band to make something amazing.

And it struck me as such a clear representation of us as the church. God made EACH of us in His image, unique and beautiful. And we can sound ok on our own, but WOW when we all come together in unity?! That is the Kingdom here and now.

We each have our own part to play. Even if it is a random cymbal splash 32 measures in that feels like the most unimportant part (this is definitely not a real example!). When we listen to the piece as a whole that very cymbal splash makes the moment.

So I guess in these musings, I'm asking you to remember the hope that comes from knowing you are a beautiful part of a much bigger, better, and amazing redemptive piece of music that God is composing. God has been repeating to me that especially right now when things can feel so divisive, our God-given superpower in the church is actually our diversity.

I Corinthians 12:12-27

12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink. 14 Indeed, the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. 23 And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, 24 which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.